A jazz prophet who claimed Saturn as his birthplace and Earth as his temporary gig.
Sun Ra was born on the planet Saturn some time ago. The best accounts agree that he emerged on Earth as Herman Blount, born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1914, although Sun Ra himself always denied that Blount was his surname. He returned to Saturn in 1993 after creating a stunningly variegated and beautiful assemblage of earthly and interplanetary music, most notably with his fervently loyal Arkestra. Sun Ra and his Arkestra were the subject of a few documentary films, notably Robert Mugge’s ‘A Joyful Noise’ (1980), which interspersed performances and rehearsals with Sun Ra’s commentary on various subjects ranging from today’s youth to his own place in the cosmos. This documentary reuses some of Mugge’s material and includes some additional interviews.
Score
The Arkestra's live performances — disciplined chaos that sounds alien and ancient.
Direction
Don Letts weaves Mugge's archival gold with new testimony seamlessly.
Director
Don Letts
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Sun Ra's Afrofuturism directly influenced George Clinton's P-Funk mythology and later Janelle Monáe's ArchAndroid persona.
Director Don Letts was also the Clash's unofficial videographer and a founding figure of British punk — his fascination with outsider prophets makes perfect sense.
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